You are here

2 arrested on multiple drug charges

Just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, Indiana State Trooper K. Taylor went to 701 Baird Blvd. to execute an arrest warrant on Jason R. Burch, 41, Salem, after Trooper Brett Walters told Taylor of Burch’s outstanding warrant related to drug charges out of Floyd County.

Taylor spoke with the homeowner, Kathy Batman, who told him Burch was inside with her daughter, Jessica Thomas, 39, Salem. Batman gave Taylor permission to enter the home and a few minutes later, Burch was in custody.

Then Taylor spoke with Thomas, advising her of her PIRTLE warnings and asked if there was anything illegal and for consent to search her bedroom. Thomas replied, “There may be a pipe in there and some needles, but you can’t search.”

Taylor then secured the residence and asked that everyone step outside, including Thomas’s three sons, Thomas Lewis, 23, Kelby Glover, 21, and a juvenile referred to as CT in Taylor’s report. Taylor told them he would be asking for a search warrant for the residence.

Glover turned to his mother. “Mom, are you going to keep letting him do this s*** to us? This is b*******, Mom. You know what is going on in there and you keep allowing it!”

“Boys, Jason is a good man,” Taylor said Thomas replied. “He just has a lot of issues.”

After obtaining a search warrant, Taylor, along with Washington County Deputies searched the home and found many illegal items in Burch and Thomas’s bedroom. Listed in the report were the following: digital scales with residue that field-tested positive for methamphetamine on the nightstand, several hypodermeric syringes located throughout the bedroom, a crystal substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine on the scale and underneath the mattress, several individual baggies with drug residue throughout the bedroom, several unused individual baggies with an “S” written on them in permanent marker, a metal pipe with suspected marijuana residue on the bed, a grinder with plant material the field tested positive for marijuana in a bag on the bed, a yellow, round prescription-only pill considered a Schedule IV controlled substance inside a cigarette pack on the nightstand and straws with a crystal residue located on the scale and on the nightstand.

Burch was arrested on the following charges: violation of probation/petition to revoke suspended sentence, possession of a syringe, dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession or use of a legend drug or precursor, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana hash, oil, hashish or salvia.

Thomas was arrested on the following charges: possession of a syringe, dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession or use of a legend drug or precursor, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana hash, oil, hashish or salvia, possession of a syringe.